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Statement

Deportations to Haiti Must End

August 19, 2021
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Donna Norton, Executive Vice President of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the imperative to stop deporting people to Haiti

“The suffering the people of Haiti are experiencing is almost unimaginable, with last weekend’s devastating earthquake and the tropical storm that followed compounding the trauma and unrest caused by the assassination of the country’s president. There is no question that Haiti is not safe right now, and that is why the Biden administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until early 2023 – even before the earthquake. But unfortunately, deportations have continued and that must end.

“All deportations to Haiti should be halted immediately and for at least one year. In addition, we urge the Biden administration to return to the United States any Haitians who were eligible for TPS but were wrongly deported since May 22 of this year; explore other avenues of protection for Haitian immigrants, including Deferred Enforced Departure (“DED”); expedite the release of Haitians currently detained in U.S. immigration facilities; and grant humanitarian parole to Haitians at the U.S.-Mexico border. The situation in Haiti is desperate and demands a compassionate response.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.